Onyado Nono Nara — Hotel in Nara

I've stayed at this hotel between 11/27/20 - 11/29/20. I had originally booked and prepaid my room using Agoda (Booking ID # 355124798) back on 11/16/20, the room was prepaid on 11/24/20 as per booking conditions. On 11/27/20, I drove the almost six (6) hours from Yokosuka to Nara in order to stay this hotel. When I arrived something strange happened. The gentlemen at the front desk asked me for my residency permit in order to see if I was qualified for the Japan Go Campaign. Since I work in Yokosuka for US Military, we are not given residency permits to live in Japan. I did provide the front desk clerk with the address of where we live in Yokosuka but he said it wasn't acceptable because it was on an email. At any rate, when he called he stated we are not eligible for the Japan Go Campaign. I already knew this. At any rate, the Japan Go Campaign would have given us some vouchers to spend in the local area. It would have been a bonus. Then the strange thing happened. The front desk person cancelled my Agoda reservation which was only a about $200. He then made a new reservation which ended up costing me over $300. So yes, we ended up being charged over 50%. He said because we weren't eligible for the Go Campaign but when I looked at my Agoda reservation there isn't anything there that stated I need to be eligible for the Go Campaign in order to be given the rate I was provided. As stated before the Go Campaign is a bonus not a requirement for room rate. I don't know why the front desk person had to cancel my reservation when I had already prepaid for the room. Now I have to wait a few weeks to get my money back. As a result this $200 room has ended up costing me over $500 because I had to pay the $200 that Agoda already charged me plus the $300 the hotel charged me. From my perspective I did everything correctly. I booked via Agoda and I prepaid for the room. The hotel and Agoda put me in a bad situation because I was forced to pay 50% more. Also cancelling my reservation put me at risk of not having lodging for the night - this would have been extremely terrible because I had just driven over six (6) hours. My suggestion, avoid this hotel because if you try to use an online booking site or book directly with the hotel. The hotel is great. The location is amazing. The staff is friendly but the check in experience completely spoiled my stay at what would have been an outstanding hotel. What happened to us is just not acceptable and other people should never have to go through...

This ryokan is a beautiful mix of traditional Japanese elements and modern touches. As a ryokan, it's tatami floors everywhere except the front desk and entrance, so you can only wear shoes up to the front desk, from which it's socks or barefoot (the former is more usual). Shoes go into a locker. You may request for disposable slippers or just wear your own socks. Really wished the ryokan provided guests with a pair of tabi socks together with the yukata, like in most onsen ryokans. I love the interior design and considerate touches of this ryokan, like seats at the lift lobby and inside the lifts to rest your legs for a short while and the cute woven basket for towels and toiletries which you can bring to the onsen (able to fit into the lockers there).

The onsen facilities are nice but I personally don't rate the onsen highly as the waters didn't feel like quality onsen waters (no difference from warm tap water) and the rotenburo (outdoor baths) was not relaxing due to noise from passing trains, which you can see from the baths. Nevertheless, it was nice to soak after a day of walking and the baths were usually spacious enough except during peak bathing hours (evening up to 9:30pm). Close to 9:30pm, there will be an exodus of bathers because everyone wants out to run to the dining hall for the free soup soba LOL. Yup free soba from 9:30pm to 11pm, but I didn't try. They have a vending machine for fresh milk near onsen!

A MUST STAY place if you want a ryokan with modern touches. I read the few negative reviews and I can say, most are totally bs! Check in was great with the utmost respect. Yes, you have to take your shoes off and lockers are provided. Please have clean socks. The rooms are very very very clean with tons of small amenities which are not found in most western hotels. The Osens (baths), can slowly get crowded after 1830 (6:30 pm), so, do as a few Japanese do and go around 1730-1800 and there's few if anyone there. There are 4 osens - one hot sinking tub, one outside stone osen, one indoor osen and a cold dipping pool. Don't forget to look to your right upon exiting - they have two modem massage chairs for 15 min use each for free. At 2130 until 2300 ((09:30) there's free cold ramen for all hotel guest to enjoy. Breakfast is to DIE for! You will never get this type of breakfast in any American motel or even most higher end hotels. The price point is excellent - highly reserve w breakfast as they serve a combo Japanese - western breakfast with just about anything you want to including grilled meats. Umbrellas are for free if it rains. Overall, a 5+ place to stay and highly recommend if in Nara (if you go by train, take the JR line trains from Kyoto, it's 2 mins out the front door - if you take the kintetsu-Nara line you'll have to walk about 10-15 mins). You see a few complaints about "train noise?" This is mostly bs! There are a few rooms facing part of the upper platform train line. All you have to do is pull the darken thick door blackout curtain and you'll be just fine. Trains don't run past 2300 and don't start up until 0530. 90% of the rooms you hear nothing and it's well noise proofed! You'll always get those complainers (such as no tattoos - well, that's your own fault for not doing your due diligence and not the hotels. For the few that say "most Japanese hotels are changing and allow this - not true! "Some" allow it while others provide waterproof patches. If you've got a full body tattoo, then find the places that allow this in their osens and stop complaining! Respect the culture as this country is about respect, civility and following the rules). We westerners can be the worst in such a beautiful clean country!! This place...